Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-22
what the Press Has 70 say OF the
Message and BIaine's Inter-
view.

Blaine's policy, and as be Is leader Of
the Republican party at present, II
must be taken as the policy Of the Re-
publlcans until they repudiate 1t. II
would be well for them to hasten to do
30. 1t is not q policy they can go be-
fore the people with. There Is too
much common sense and too much
every day oId-fashioned honesty In the
United States yet for the voters TO be
trapped by so reckless, so shallow and
80 dangerous a scheme as this. They
know that they are enormously over
taxed. They know that surplus taxes
are constantly increasing peril to
their business and steadily heavier
drain on their resources. They will
not follow the leader who would tax
them only 10 suuander and who would
throw their money out Of the Treasury
windows rather than lift the most
onerous of the tariff duties on the ma
terials Of American Industry
The World, Democratic, says:
1.-THE Maine statesman's interview Is,
in fact, q proclamation that Mr.. Blaine
considers himself to be the chosen
champion Of protection and that he Is
ready to enter the Presidential lists
again as such. The fact that Mr..
Blaine had not read the full text of the
Presidents message must serve as his
excuse for misrepresentiDg its purport.
"Mr. Blaine Is behind the times In
this question. The people Of this
country are bent upon stopping the sur
plus, instead of fsquandering or 'divid-
ing it. They believe that the only
honest place, as we'll as the best place
for every dollar not needed for the legit-
innate expenses ofthe Government is
in the pocket of the man who earned
it. President Cleveland stands for
this purpose. Mr.. Blaine comes for
ward as the champion of the opposition
idea. The Democratic party could not
ask for better issue.n
The Sun says: "Ifbrother Blaine en-
tertains such loose notions of the re-
lations between the Federal Govern
ment and the States, 1t strikes us that
he would be conspicuously unfit per-
son to intrust with the nations finan-
cial affairs.n
The Chicago Tribune, the ablest
Republican paper West, says:
"Mr. Blaine, as might have been ex-
pected, has presented high tariff pro-
lection, from a partisan point of view,
as an opposition issue to the Presidents
views on tariff reduction. We have a
long and apparently very pleasant
winter before us in which to discuss
this question, and 1t Is a question
which must be settled upon its merits
and not upon political considerations.
So far, therefore, as Mr.. Blaine seeks
to make 1t appear as party issue, he
Nut
''It is a sufficient explanation of Mr..
BIaine's interview that he is Pennsyl-
vanian. He was brought up in an at
mosphere of ultra-protection. He has
sat at the feet of the high tariff CANA
liels of that State and imbibed their
doctrines. Like all Pennsylvanians,
Republicans or Democrats. he believes
in enormous duties on imports for the
purpse of coddling the mill bosses and
projecting the so-called infant indus
tries, which long ago became of age
and ought to be able to go alone.- .--
Every Pennsylvania believes that the
protective system promotes his inter
ests, and that in promoting his interests
itenhances the general good of the pub
''It is almost needless to say that Mr..
Blaine, as well as other Pennsylvania
Republicans, in taking this position,
makes no account Of the precedents of
1857, 1928, or of the platform of 1884,
which explicitly declares: The Re-
publican party pledges itself to correct
the irregularities OF the tariffand to re-
duce the surplus They even fought
the small reduction of 1883. The Blaine
interview will have to stand upon its
merits, and it will have to be indorsed
or condemned in accordance with the
value of the arguments set forth, and
the public Judgment will not be in
fluenced by the distinguished name be-
hind them.
SIT is the weakest ground Mr.. Blaine
has ever yet occupied, and no national
party can expect to go into o Presi-
Dental campaign on that issue, no mat
ter who may be its leader, and win. 1t
isin position of direct hostility to the
report Of the tariff commission and to
the Republican platform of 1884. Up
on this question, therefore, we beg
leave to differ from Mr.. Blaine, as he
differs from us. Freely acknowledging
his right I'd his own belief as Republi-
! can, we claim the same right, and such
are Tree 10 ot1LE OuI ucllCt tlldt III leitN-
ing the cohorts ofthe coddled State OF
PENNSYLVANIA, with his Lientenants,
Randall, Kelly, Cameron and McPher-
son, heswill find that Pennsylvania is
but one State and that there is large
army outside its borders, who do not
propose to be levied upon any longer
for its benefit.
t'The surplus question must be set
tied in some way, and in a different
way from what it has been settled. II
cannot be settled in accordance with
the Blaine idea.
The Louisville Courier-.Jotynd
Democratic, says:
ssThe Presidents message will be
read with interest and admiration,
which grows almost to enthusiasm be.
fore the end Is reached.
las public document, addressed by
the Chief Executive to Congress and
through Congress to the people, it is a
I model.
ssThe President shows familiarity
with affairs and with the vast net
work of commercial forces and laws
resting on human nature which must
surprise even his most ardent admirers.
ut puts new hope into the heart to
see q President dealing thus courage
ously, clearly, concisely and compre-
hensivefy with question which time
serving politicians have always avoided,
and declaring to those to whom legis-
lation is intrusted that the situation
~ ~ Il 1.n 49, u. 2 n !.